


Game of Chance

by poppydogs



Series: Game of Chance [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: AU, Abuse, Academy Era, F/M, Fitz's father didn't leave, Teenagers, angsty, believing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:47:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27184732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poppydogs/pseuds/poppydogs
Summary: She was a girl that no one believes in, including herself.He was a boy living in abuse and trying to save his mum.But when a second chance came it was a matter of staying or leaving.
Relationships: Jemma Simmons & Jemma Simmons's Father & Jemma Simmons's Mother, Leo Fitz & Leo Fitz's Father, Leo Fitz & Leo Fitz's Mother, Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons
Series: Game of Chance [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2136933
Kudos: 20





	Game of Chance

She was confident.

He was shy. 

Both of her parents loved her.

Only his mum loved him. 

She was optimistic.

He was pessimistic. 

They were both different, but they were the same. 

They were both intelligent, they both had PH.Ds by age 16, and they were always overlooked. 

* * *

"I'm sorry Miss. Simmons but I don't think our research center can hire you just yet." The interview lady said to young 17 years old Jemma Simmons who mentally rolled her eyes.

_You mean I'm too young to work at your research center, you prejudice, hog heads._

But all she did was smile, nodded her head, and left. 

Walking outside she can see her mum's car park by the research center. When she got in her mum didn't say a thing knowing that her daughter didn't get the job and instead just said, "I keep telling you Jemma you should just work for me at the children's clinic."

_Sure with a bunch of whiny kids that can't stand the sight of needles and forces me to chase them._ Jemma thought as she looked out the window wishing there was someone that believed in her. 

* * *

Leopold was a regular shut-in who much rather spend his time hiding in his room then dealing with his abusive father. Even though the thick walls he can hear his father yelling at his mum. 

"Where is my dinner, women? I want my dinner!"

_What a baby._ Leo though as he put his earbuds in hoping the sound of the mindless cheesy pop music can tone out his father and focus on his project.

To think a boy that went to MIT was forced to live back home since no one wants a 16 years old boy engineer working for them.

He wasn't paying attention to timing and the music he was playing was very loud so when he was busy screwing in a panelboard he didn't hear his father busting through the door.

"GIVE ME THAT FUCKING ROBOT," he yelled grabbing the device and chucking it in the bin, 2 weeks' worth of work gone to waste. "I had been calling you for the past 3 minutes. Supper ready, now get your useless arse down there right now," reacking of alcohol Alistair pulled his scrawny son down the stairs. 

"Here your son," his father said to his mum who smile kindly at him with her faded eyes.

"He was busy building his dumb robots again." Grabing a beer from the ice box.

"It's not a robot," he muttered as his father opened his beer and started gorging his chicken. 

His father wasn't always that bad. Back when he had a job and didn't have a drinking problem.

Leo sighs knowing that it was going to be a long time when he finally gets to leave his father. 

* * *

Growing up Jemma Simmons always had a million questions and always wanted a billion answers. But she knew she wasn't going to find any if she was stuck in Sheffield under her mother's watchful eyes. 

Ever since she was a child Jemma was a curious girl. But her mother raised her to be perfect. Meaning she wanted her to be well-mannered and never wandered too far from home. But Jemma never saw the fun or interest in it.

She wanted to explore, she wanted to know more, and she wanted to believe again. 

But she couldn't do it when she felt like she was trapped in a box.

Ever since she finished university Jemma couldn't get a job so when her surgeon father and her pediatrician mother goes to work that meant leaving Jemma all alone. 

And today was just like the rest, more job hunting and re-reading old books, until something good was on, on the television. So there she was sitting on the sofa watching _Who_ _Wants to Be a Millionaire?_ When she heard her post box open and then close. 

Knowing there was nothing better for her to do she opened the box and pulled out a few coupons and bills until she saw a letter addressed to her. 

Running into her room she opened the letter and the first thing she reads was _S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Science and Technology._

"No way." She said her eyes widen at every word she reads. 

* * *

Every morning Leo wakes up around 7:30 am. A time where it was just him and his mum having breakfast while she got ready for work. And Alistair was still asleep. 

But today was different. Watching his toast pop up and then his mum Leo waited and waited but he didn't hear his mum coming down the stairs. 

Walking upstairs Leo put his ear against the door only to hear the most horrid thing in the world. 

His mother whimpering while his father was moaning, "Hold still women."

Rushing back downstairs he sat down and stared at his toast, his eyes twitching. A few minutes later his mum came dresses in her work uniform but walked a little funny. 

"Are you okay mum?" Knowing the answer but he was still concerned. 

"Oh I'm fine Leo I just slept the wrong way last night," she said calmly and Leo knew she was lying but he just kept his mouth shut. Wishing there was something he could do to help.

Leo watched his mum leave for work -as a middle school English teacher - while he spent his day hiding in his room and only coming downstairs for soup trying to avoid his father.

That afternoon he was busy trying to rebuild his device until he heard his mum knock. "There is a letter for you," dropping it on his desk and kissing the top of his head.

Opening it Leo read the words _S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Science and Technology._

* * *

Jemma only had two weeks to convince her parents to let her go to the Academy but her mother didn't agree. 

"Jemma I understand that you like to go a million kilometer an hour but tell me what does this _Academy_ has vs assisting me at the clinic?" As her mum was writing her medical reports.

"Because mum I don't want to work with children I want to study more and the Academy allows me to do things that I can't do here."

Her mum just rolled her eyes.

"Please mum, it's a full scholarship."

"No, Jemma, you can't spend the rest of your life going to school. You are going to coming to work for me at the clinic next week and that's final."

Frustrated Jemma muttered, "you just don't want me leaving you and going to America."

Working at the clinic Jemma never felt more bored and more disgusted in her life. Around 20 kids coughed on her and she was basically her mum's monkey assent handing her things and never letting Jemma do anything else.

She tried to convince her father but he just agreed with his wife and Jemma was alone in her own world of believing that she could find more in life.

That night Jemma laid on her bed as she looked at framed photo on her nightstand that she flipped down. Picking it up Jemma looks at eleven years old her and her best friend Sasha. Wiping the dust off Jemma sigh remembering the day when she told Sasha she was leaving middle school and going to university. 

Putting the photo back down she wishes she was able to put on her old Catholic uniform and walk into the high school near her acting like the past 5 years never happened. But she couldn’t. Shoving her hands under her pillow she pulls out and looked at the letter that reminded her that she had less than 4 days to tell the school if she accepts their offer. Jemma touched her rose necklace her Nana gave her before she passed away and always told her to _follow her heart_. 

Knowing that there was nothing for her at home or Sheffield, Jemma got up and pushed a few papers off her desk until she unburied her laptop and crafted an email. After that, she used most of the money she has saved up for years and bought herself a plane ticket. 

* * *

That night when Leo got his letter he quickly showed his mum when she was preparing dinner and questioned if he can really go.

"Are you sure you want me to go what about _dad,_ " he said quietly knowing he was in the other room.

But all his mum did was put his hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Leo you deserve to go to this school and don't worry about your father I can handle this."

_No, you can't and I won't be there to save you if something really bad happens._

A month later as he and his mum packed his suitcase while his father was getting more impatient with Leo's departure. But finally, the day came it was 9 pm when his mum dropped his off at the airport. 

"Now be careful Leo, just go from the airport to the Academy and don't talk to anyone you don't know."

"I know mum it's alright," kissing her cheek. "Be careful around dad."

"Don't worry he never hits me everything going to be fine."

_Yes, but he still verbal and it's the same thing._

Hearing a car beep behind them Leo ran to get his suitcase out of the trunk and walked inside. After going through check-in Leo sat down waiting until he heard the words.

"Boarding from Glasgow to Sheffield boarding."

Walking to the front Leo looked out the window at the plane and hoped he was doing the right thing.

* * *

Two weeks after Jemma bought her plane ticket she called her cousin to pick her up that night. The only thing was that she never told her parents about this.

_Teenage runaway_ is what Jemma's mum will call her after finding the note and Sci-Tech letter next to it

After paying her cousin and thanking her for driving she was able to make it to her 2 am flight. 

Knowing her parents are asleep Jemma bits her nails hoping they well understand when they wake up to see that their daughter is not in her room.

Jemma looks around at all the people that probably have a family or someone to go back to while Jemma sat there alone and question if anyone else felt like her too. 

"Boarding Sheffield to New York City boarding."

Showing her ticket Jemma walked onto the plane and shoved her 2 suitcases into a cabinet. 

Sitting down she looked out the window as a pregnant woman sat down next to her, she also heard someone else sit down at the end and the pregnant woman asked if they can switch since it would be easy for her to get up. 

"Oh sure," he said politely.

Looking at him Jemma saw he was her age but had a skinny body, and messy curly hair. _He looks like a monkey._

But she guesses she was staring too long when the boy said, "Um hello."

Jemma recognizes that accent, "you're from Glasgow."

The boy blinked at her.

"Oh sorry where are my manners I'm Jemma Simmons." Holding her hand out.

"Leo Fitz and yeah I'm from Glasgow." Shaking her hand.

Jemma smiled and felt the plane move. After a while, the plane raised but when Jemma couldn't see home anymore a few tears fell.

She must have been wheezing a bit loud when the boy asked her if she was alright.

"Yeah I'm fine," she said hoping he doesn't think she was a crazy person. 

"Are you sure cause my mum would say that too until..." His voice trailed off and Jemma looked at him and saw that his eyes were a bit misty. 

"Would you like to talk about it?"

He shook his head, "I don't think you will understand."

"I think I would considering I have two PH.Ds by the time I was 16, no one wants me to work for them since I'm _too young_ , and I just ran away from home just so I can go to this school in America." Jemma knew blabbing was a way to deal with stress but to a complete stranger was a different story.

She was expecting the boy to give her a strange look but Leo just looked at her with shock. "By any chance this school or academy is called Sci-Tech?"

"Yeah." Surprise that this boy knew what that was. 

_Maybe I'm not alone._

* * *

Leo eventually told Jemma about his life at home but that was when they arrived at the Academy.

Jemma's parents found out the truth the next morning only to get an email a day later saying their daughter fine and not coming back home.

While Fitz's mum, a few months later she finally found the courage to leave her alcoholic husband, claiming she now lives in a small cottage.

While Jemma and Leo or FitzSimmons their mates called them, they had hope.


End file.
